Okay, I win for longest title of the daily, ever. (hey, you have to enjoy the small pleasures in life...)

I'm going to bed very soon...I swear! But in the meantime, it's officially Wednesday, so I'm starting us off to make up for being a lazybones and not getting out of bed before noon so far this week!

Hope everyone has a great morning and that it's gorgeous everywhere like it's been here!

Today's plans include going to the gym for the class that always kicks my behind (I always think of your "Pain in the Butt" class, Barb! Do you still take that one?). I've got dishes to do and a ton of laundry calling my name. I'd like to finish putting together the bookcase in the bedroom (the holes in it don't line up with the things I have to use to connect it...I'm going to have to drill some new holes to finish!) and put the books in it.

DH and I are heading to the third in our Adult Faith Formation series for Lent. The area churches put this on and it's a great way to learn more about the Bible, history, and such. It's like Sunday school, but for adults...and it comes with a recess that includes coffee and goodies. I just take a tea bag and some Splenda with me and use the hot water. But it's a lot of fun to see our friends from other parishes and hang out. I had to go to the first two on my own as DH was out of town, so it'll be nice to go with him this time.

I've still got a few hours left to the day - but it's looking.. I have no idea how I feel about heading back to work after 6 days off! I love not working, perhaps I need to think about my future - career-wise. Tomorrow is another day.. heh

cottagebythesea - I don't really enjoy walking in the rain so much, it's REALLY wet and cold, and wet. It's just amazing to me how the rain can continue for days, even WEEKS at a time. When I live out East I definitely enjoyed the rain more. I had a grande 1% cinnamon dolce latte, it was very yummy, although I suspect I am done with them. I am ready to move back to my regular vanilla latte. Boy I am one with long winded answers!

annarenee - I am all for a buddy! I lose so slowly that I don't know if I'll make that goal, but I always aim high!

beachgal - that sounds like a crazy-busy To Do list. I think I'd stay in bed 'til noon just to avoid it, frankly.

swimgirl - I'm sorry your job's not treating you right. Have you started looking around, or are you just in the "uneasy" starting to think about it stage? (I'm in the "paper the town with my resume" stage, right now. )

everyone else - I'll see you in the morning. It's 10:30, and my bedtime. Big presentation tomorrow evening for my Alaska history class (*my* pain in the butt class).

It's only 6:30, and already we have 3 posts! I hope you chicks are snug in your beds now, getting some sleep.

I had to give myself a pep talk to get ready for Curves, it's so tempting just to stay home, but I'll be glad I went once it's over with. I have the coffee perking now, so it will be ready when I get back. Monica is bringing Carley out this afternoon, and we'll have her until tomorrow, and I'm trying to arrange my schedule around that. I have to remember to grab an extra carseat for one thing. My SIL's show opens tonight, and Monica and Caitlyn are going to see it.

Well, I have to blow dry my hair and fly out of here for now. I'll be back!

Wow! What a busy place! I love it when the smarty-pants "Westerners" pop in to post when it's still yesterday.

Beachgal, I thought you were going to try to get to bed earlier? Do I have to drive down there and read you a bedtime story every night?

Aimee, I am still smiling over your weightloss post. I'm so glad you DO aim high. By the way, not working is great but the pay is the pits.

Cinderly, I didn't realize you were looking for another job. Good luck with tonight's presentation. About all I know about Alaska is this: native people, Russians, $$$, USA. Feel free to us it!

Cottage, good for you with being so loyal to Curves. I absolutely must do some exercise - Meg, Mel and Ilene are on my case. Curves is a half hour drive but there is a fitness place in the next village (10 mins) that may have something. I'll check.....I promise!

The Girls and I actually slept in this morning and I woke with a start at 7:15 remembering the garbage had to be at the road at 7:30! The guys just came by and picked it up. Whew! I really didn't want it hanging around as I made dog food yesterday and meat wrappers are smelly.

I have six guys to feed at noon today! The "boys" are tapping in my maple bush as the sap is starting to run. I've got a cauldron of pea soup and a big crockpot full of beef stew with veggies - the Old-Fashioned Beef Stew but with lots of potatoes for hungry guys. Two 10" pies from my freezer and some ice cream will round out their "snack". It's amazing how much guys can eat when they are doing physical work! I'll load it all in the car and drive it back to the bush road. They'll meet me there with the snowmobiles. We have tons of snow in the bush. They are using snowmobiles now but will switch to the horses and sleigh to hang the buckets tomorrow and start sap gathering on Friday, if the weather cooperates. Today is the only day I will be providing lunch - it's sort of a celebration for the first day of syrup making and Spring!

Later this afternoon, I have a kitchen designer coming to look at my favourite room. My 1950 cupboards are wood and really need updating as they are hard to clean and marked. All the shelves and counters are just a few inches too high. I'm thinking "Shaker-type" wood cupboards in white with darker counter. Of course, I'll be moaning and complaining about the mess when it starts which probably won't be until May by the time stuff gets ordered.

Good grief! It's well after eight and I have to get cracking. Have a Happy Hump Day!

__________________

Change isnít easy. But if you donít change, you stay the same, and whereís the fun in that?

Wow, I feel a lot slower than everyone else. I got up, got everyone out the door (DH, DD, and DS) and now I'm at work, and I just finished reading the comics. More power to those who go to the gym first thing in the morning. I would love to if I had the time and the willpower. I really need to start doing something active. Is it Friday yet???

Ruth,it sounds like a busy but fun day is on "tap" at your place. I'd love to watch the tapping of the trees for maple some day, it sounds fascinating, and I just love maple flavored anything! You are so lucky to have it right in your own back yard! The last time I was in Canada, I stocked up on maple syrup and those wonderful maple cookies shaped like maple leaves. YUM! Ok, I know, it's NOT a part of the SBD plan.

I made myself work out hard at Curves, and now that's done for the day. Now I'm on my 3rd cup of coffee and I just made a large skillet of Cola Chicken for tonight, with leftovers for tomorrow. Audrey had a great time celebrating her birthday yesterday, and we had fun making the day special for her. I had quite an uncomfortable moment with that blasted turtle, though! The guy at the pet store put it in a box for me, but Cindy wanted me to get it settled in it's new terrarium at home, which meant that I had to pick it up! I tried to tip the box so it would fall into the terrarium, but the darned thing started falling onto it's back, so that didn't work. I kept telling myself that if the girls could hold it, then I could too, but, EWWWWW!

Good morning chicks a quickie for me... had to set up a new anti viruis and such on my computer have a cake in the oven for the kids snack today.... the baby is fussy fussy fussy....

Went for a walk last night that is two nights in a row.

Ruth- you lucky chick all those men to look at today.
Cottage- laughing I can picture the turtle on it poor little back and you trying to get it out of the box. Have a great day.
Beach- hope you got a good nights sleep, I don't think I have ever slept in til noon in my life. But then again I can't stay up late either. Take care hon.
Swim- I don't like walking in the rain either but good for you, keep up the good work.

Well got to dash the cake needs to come out of the oven and the kids need to be feed. Have a good ones chicks. And a big Hello to the rest of you chicks I missed and the one yet to pop in.

__________________

"The minute you settle for less than you deserve, you get even less than you settled for."

Beachgal - I'm jealous of your ability to stay awake! I'm out cold by 11 pm at the very latest. I used to be a night owl, but I think the sunrise is so much prettier than the night sky these days....Wasn't yesterday wonderful? Your AFF sounds great! I hope you have a great time together!

Aimee - WOW! ONE IN THE MORNING?!?!? I haven't seen that in a long time.... I love not working as well, but then I get bored and stoic. I have to have a goal each day or I'll just stay in bed! And I agree with Ruth, that pay is not so great! I took a 2 month hiatus from my job and it worked wonders for my motivation.

Cottage - Great job getting to Curves this morning! It's tough isn't it? Do you go around the circuit 2 or 3 times? We do 3 right now, but I'm getting bored!!!! Arrgg, oh well, I always feel better afterwards...

Ruth - Men and maple syrup....mmmm sounds delish! DH is out with my dad today. They are building a workshop/apartment up on a hill in the middle of nowhere. My parents are planning a log cabin up there and they want to move into a small apartment before they build the big house. My mom makes food for the lot of them and wow can they eat!

Fishbulb - I totally hear you about the Friday bit.......

Little Chick - Congrats to you on the exercise! Keep going girl!

Me - I'm at the library, public this time. I'm going to go grab a bite to eat for lunch and then head up to the college library. 2 papers to write. Here we go!

Don't know about exercise today....maybe this afternoon before I grab the kiddo.

Adia, I'm lucky that we have a really large Curves club, and we have all the lastest equipment, so we only have to do the circuit 2X to complete our 30 minutes. Do you do the stretching after? It's an important part of the workout. Our Curves is a lot of fun, and the owner keeps it that way and keeps us motivated. I've visited a few others that aren't as active as mine, and I know I would get very bored there.

Maggie and I are back at my house waiting for Carley. She's wanting to go outside on the swings, so off I go.

Cottage - We have 10 machines and they are in really great shape. I think 2x around equals out to 30 minutes, but I don't really feel it until after the 3rd. Maybe I just need to push more! Our Curves isn't bad on the motivation factor....it's just me I think! I always stretch, it's my favorite part.

cinderly - I just started this job in Sept, and it's been good. I have been getting too involved with the girls in my dept lately, and thats where my frustrations lay.... they are immature, and gossipy. I'm also in the position of moving into management, but have been trying to hold off and enjoy having no responsibilities. It's given me time to work on weight loss and enjoying my life, not just working.

Ruth - the money thing is definitely why I'm still going to work, I gotta figure out how to make lots of money without going to work, lol. Aren't I a dreamer too? I definitely think it's better to aim high and get close rather than aiming low and succeding. It somehow makes sense to me. 7:15 is sleeping IN? Yikes! My idea of sleeping in is until 10:30! heh.

cottage - how often do you go to curves? I've heard different things like going everyday, or going 3 days a week. I think it's a great idea, I haven't been able to try due to the cost, it's 40-45 dollars a month here.

Adia - on mine is says 10pm, so we are 3 hours difference. I haven't been up until 1am in a long time! I took off 5 weeks last year after being sick for 6 weeks, my brother paid for me to go stay with him, and covered any bills that came up. Fortunately my bf makes decent money and my bro didn't need to pay for anything besides food/daily things. I spent my days exercising, making sure to eat well, and watching movies via NetFlix.

I better go get ready for work, I did get good news though! The store manager is NOT there, and I need to take responsibility for something which I thought was a great idea, but he did not, and threatened to write up the person who did it. I don't think I'll be written up, especially because of my logic behind it. My bf is a manager in the same store, and so once I explained my logic he completely understood, so I'm not too worried. Anyways, off I go!

beachgal - They stopped offering the Pain in the Butt class. They now just have an advanced step class which requires more coordination than I have available. I think part of my problem lately is that I can't make any of the evening classes and can rarely make the Saturday morning Powerflex class. I'm finally over my soreness from last Saturday and I plan to be there this Saturday.

I ended up working until almost 11 last night. I was able to spare 10 minutes to put Brian to bed but he was not happy that I didnt' get to spend time with him. I'm also working Friday night and Saturday but he will be at a train show for most of that so hopefully, he won't mind. I do work from home when I work at night and on weekends but it isn't like I can do things with him.

I am done with meetings for the day and am planning on leaving work a few hours early today so we can do whatever he wants to do. Maybe we'll go for a bike ride.